Timepiece winding indicator



March 2, 1954 H. JEANNERET TIMEPIECE WINDING INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 6, 1951 vih lll/lll; I

Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNI'ITIIDv STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims priority,rapplication Switzerland April 19, 1950 Z Claims.V

This invention relates to a timepiece comprising a device indicating the unwindingv of the spring. Thistimepiece comprises a wheelprovidedwith two sets of teeth, one meshing with an intermediate wheel thel shaft of. which isA fixed and the otherv with a satellitepinion of which the carrier drives the indicatormember, the said intermediate wheel being drivenby one of two eiements, that is to say either by the barrel orf by the barrel arbor, vwhile .thepinion is driven by the other ofthersaidtwo elements.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two embodiments of the invention by Way of example.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a iirst embodiment of the device.

Fig. 2 is a section on line II-II of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the device and,

Fig. 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Fig. 3, on a larger scale.

The timepiece illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a plate I to which is fixed, on the side nearest the dial designated by 2, a supplementary bridge 3 in which is pivoted one extremity of the barrel arbor designated by 4. The .barrel itself is indicated by 5. It is rigid with a sleeve 6 passing freely through the plate and bearing against the arbor 4. Carried by this arbor and keyed to it is a pinion 1, while the sleeve 5 carries a pinion 8. A wheel 9 is freely mounted on the arbor 4 between the pinions 'I and 8; this wheel 9 is pivoted with internal teeth I on its upper face and internal teeth I I on its lower face.

The teeth II mesh with an intermediate wheel I2 of which the shaft I3 is fixed to the plate; this intermediate wheel is itself driven by the pinion 8, while the teeth I0 mesh with a satellite I4 which itself meshes with the pinion 'I. This satellite is carried by a wheel I freely mounted on the arbor 4. This Wheel I5 drives a wheel I6 pivoted in the centre of the movement and carrying an annular disc I1 which constitutes the member indicating unwinding and on the upper face of which are inscribed the indications which appear through a window I8 made in the dial 2. It is to be noted that one sector I9 (Fig. 1) of the wheel I6 has no teeth. On the side opposite this sector the wheel I5 carries a pin 2D in the path of which is situated a blade spring 2I iixed to the framework at 22 by one of its extremities and extending radially in relation to the wheel It.

The operation of this device is as follows:

When the movement is being wound up, the pinion I turns the satellite I4 which, meshing with the teeth I0 of the wheel 9, brings about the rotation of the wheel I5 which rotationA is transmitted to the wheel I6. When the spring is fully wound, the part I9 of the wheel IG arrives 0pposite the wheel I6; the winding members can thus continue to function, for instance under the action of an automatic winding means, without turning the wheel I9. It is to be noted that as soon as the wheel I5 turns in the opposite direction it is again. in engagement with the toothed portion `of the wheel I 6 because of the action of the spring 2! which acts as a return spring. This backward rotation ofthe wheel I5 will be produced by the barrel through the intermediary of the pinion 8, the intermediate wheel I2, the wheel 9 and the satellite I4.

The timepiece illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 comprises a plate 23 on the lower face of which is arranged a barrel 24 of which the cover 25 carries a pinion 26 rigid with said cover. A cavity 21 is made in the lower face of the plate, while a cavity 28 is made in its upper face. These two cavities are in communication with one another. An intermediate wheel 29 is arranged in the cavity 21 while an intermediate wheel 30 is arranged in the cavity 28, each of these intermediate wheels being pivoted on journals made unitary with the plate. These two intermediate wheels mesh with one another over a part of their height; in addition, the intermediate wheel 29 meshes with the pinion 23, while the intermediate wheel 30 meshes with external teeth 3I of a wheel 32, with two sets of teeth, which is rotatably mounted on the barrel arbor 33 and is situated on the upper face of the plate. The Wheel 32 is provided with internal teeth 34 in which meshes a satellite pinion 35 carried by a rotary carrier 36 which is freely mouned on the shaft 33. This carrier is provided with teeth 3'! meshing with a wheel 33 pivoted in the centre of the movement and carrying an annular dial 39 on which are inscribed indications 40 indicating the unwinding of the spring and appearing through a window 4I made in the dial 42. The vertical play of the carrier 35 is limited by an annular bridge 43 serving as an abutment for a disc 44 rivetted to the carrier 36 of the satellite pinion. This pinion is driven by a pinion 45 keyed to the barrel arbor 33.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the timepiece is being wound up, action is being produced on the barrel arbor, which drives the satellite 35 by the pinion 45, whereby the carrier 35 is caused to turn; this carrier turns the wheel 3S! carrying the unwinding indicator. When the movement is running, the barrel by turning drives the wheel 32, which is provided 3 with two sets of teeth, through the intermediary of the pinion 26 and the intermediate wheels 29 and 30.

The wheel 32 itself through the intermediary of the satellite 35 turns the carrier 35 which drives the wheel S. The various gears are arranged in such a way that when the movement is being wound up the wheel 38 turns in the opposite direction to that in which it turns when the movement is running.

What I claim is:

1. In a timepiece comprising a device indicating the unwinding of the main spring, a base-plate provided with two cavities each on one of its faces and communicating with one another, a barrel situated below said base-plate, a pinion rigid with said barrel, a barrel arbor, a wheel situated above said base-plate and provided with two sets of teeth, two intermediate wheels pivoted each in one of said cavities and meshing with one another, one of said intermediate wheels meshing with one of said two sets of teeth and the other with said pinion rigid with the barrel, so that the wheel with two sets of teeth, situated above the baseplate, is driven by the barrel situated below the base-plate, a satellite pinion meshing with the other oi said sets of teeth, a pinion rigid with the barrel arbor and meshing with said satellite pinion, a toothed carrier carrying said satellite pinion, a wheel meshing with said toothed carrier, and an indicator member carried by said last mentioned wheel indicating the unwinding of the main spring.

2. In a timepiece comprising a device indicating the unwinding of the main spring, a baseplate provided with two cavities, each on one of its faces and communicating with one another, a barrel situated below said base-plate, a pinion rigid with said barrel, a barrel arbor, a wheel situated above said base-plate and provided with two sets of teeth, one external and the other internal, two intermediate wheels pivoted each in one of said cavities and meshing with one another, one of said intermediate wheels meshing with said set of external teeth and the other with said pinion rigid with the barrel, so that the Wheel with two sets of teeth, situated above the base-plate, is driven by the barrel situated below the base-plate, a satellite pinion meshing with said set of internal teeth, a. pinion rigid with the barrel arbor and meshing with `said satellite pinion, a toothed carrier carrying said satellite pinion, a wheel meshing with said toothed carrier, and an indicator member carried by said last mentioned wheel indicating the unwinding of the main spring.

HERBERT JEANNERET.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 790,511 Mazer May 23, 1905 1,108,510 Mazer Aug. 25, 1914 1,191,525 Mazer July 18,1916 

